Shetland and Orkney, June 2026 - finished!

Shetland:

It’s only a 1 hour flight from Aberdeen and, despite the weather in Aberdeen, I arrived at 7pm on a glorious sunny evening. As we made our approach, it looked as if the runway extended right into the deep blue water, with the deep green hills surrounding it. It was love at first sight.

I had a small automatic arranged through Bolts Car Rental for my whole visit. One guy sitting at the desk just past the luggage carousel, paperwork signed, he handed me keys and said follow the signs to the parking lot and click the key button to find your car, return it same place, and drop the keys here when you come back. Ha! Then I was off for the 30 minute-ish drive to Lerwick. The airport sits at the southern tip of the mainland (main island), with Lerwick - the capitol and largest town - being around halfway up. It still takes my breath away to remember the beauty of that drive. A few minutes into my drive, I had this moment when I realized I was driving across the airport runway! Yes, there are barriers like a train crossing that go down when a plane is coming or going, but that’s the first time I’ve ever driven on a runway. LOL.

I arrived in Lerwick, easily finding the street parking in front of my apartment: Nortbode Serviced Apartments (the Sands of Breckon unit). I had a code for the outside entrance and one for my particular apartment. This wasn’t a cheap option, but housing is a bit limited - and with my somewhat late switch of destination, my options weren’t huge. However location was perfect and it was incredibly nice. It was serviced daily if I wanted and provided coffee,tea, milk, salt, pepper, and sugar. A quick walk down to a small Coop for a few immediate supplies and then it was time for bed.

From Lerwick (not in any kind of order):
I took the Mousa Boat to Mousa Island, walking around the island (2 miles) on a designated path, with a highlight being Mousa Broch, an Iron Age round tower about 40 feet high built about 300 BC. It is the tallest remaining in Scotland and one of the best preserved
prehistoric buildings in Europe. You can still climb the inside stairs to the top - I considered it but decided it might not be the best idea, plus I needed to get back to the boat on time. Another highlight was listening to the baby stormy petrols in their nests buried within stone walls around the east side of the island. Booking not required (and not available) - just show up and pay your £18 on the way back.
Tip: take water and lunch.

Jarlshof: a site containing Bronze Age houses, an Iron Age broch and wheelhouses, site of Norse long houses, a medieval farmstead, and a more recent lord’s house from the 1500s. Reservations ahead are recommended, especially on cruise ship days. However there were only about 5 or 6 other people there when I was.

Here’s a note about the weather. I did go to these 2 sites on consecutive days. For Mousa, we had a foggy ride over, then bright lovely sunshine and I was sweating in my short-sleeved t-shirt. The following day for Jarlshof, I absolutely froze in a long sleeved shirt, fleece jacket, packable down coat, and knit hat - and was afraid I might blow off the road driving to and from.

Scatness Broch: this is a small Iron Age village near Jarlshof. It is only open for visits during the summer and only by guided tour on Fridays. I really enjoyed this. It’s a small site, but the guide was one of the best I had during my trip. There were about 20 on the tour - and it’s the only tour of the week. It has original buildings but also some reproductions so you can see what it would have looked like. Although I didn’t, you can very easily visit Scatness and Jarlshof on the same day - and most times it would make sense to do so.

Cont.

I also did a full day’s drive to Unst, the northernmost island. This involved 2 ferries and was a very full day, but so worth it. I had read scotlandmac’s report on a day trip here and Skyegirl’s report on staying there - which I now know would be incredible. I stopped at the Viking boat reproduction, the Unst Heritage Center, and made it up as far as the Boatman’s House pull off before turning around. I can’t even begin to describe the scenery.
Tips: there aren’t a lot of places to eat. I stopped at the Final Checkout Cafe for a delicious bacon sandwich and coffee. (Sounds ominous, doesn’t it?) I actually had made ferry reservations for each leg and that might matter at some times. But not this trip. For the first ferry, I actually got in the wrong line (for people with no reservation) but still got on with no trouble. For all my other legs, I ended up not worrying about times and just went to the ferry whenever I ended up there - I got in the no reservation line and there was plenty of space for all 3 times. But I knew I was covered with a reservation, so wouldn’t have to worry about sleeping in the car. Ha! I guess the point is if you don’t think you can go because you didn’t get a reservation, try anyway.

Shetland Seabird Tours: There are a couple of tours that go to Noss Island for all the nesting seabirds - in huge numbers! This is the tour I took and I absolutely loved it. They even had binoculars for everyone (all 12 of us) to use. Sometimes they see dolphins or even occasionally whales, but we didn’t on my day. I ended up on the trip with a group of friends from England who had been on my Scatness tour, so that was fun. This was also one of 2 days where I used my waterproof pants.
Tip: don’t save this till your last day. I had scheduled about midway through my stay and my day got cancelled because of high winds. Then they were completely full the next 2 days. Fortunately there were a couple of other timeframes it would work for both me and them and am so glad.

Other things and places: Quendale Mill; the Shetland Museum; Douglass Arms for live music (8:00 on Thursdays); I actually went to a movie at the Mareel one night (never done that on travels before); walked streets including by The Lodberry (Season 11 of Shetland finished filming the day before I arrived - poor planning. Ha!); Charlotte’s Fort; church at St. Columba’s Church of Scotland; yarn shopping for one of my kids; and a drive to Scalloway.

I encountered Viking parades in both Lerwick and Scalloway on successive Saturday afternoons, small family- oriented events with lots of Viking costumes. It’s good to remember both Shetland and Orkney have more Norse culture and heritage than Scottish.

Final day visit to Sumburg Head: My flight didn’t leave till 3:45pm and I had not been able to get to Sumburg Head previously. I had tried once before (on that not-so-lovely weather day after Jarlshof when it would have been convenient by location) but it was drizzly, cold, incredibly windy, and not conducive to a further walk up to the visitor’s center and views.

But my final day was gorgeous and I had plenty of time - and even found a few puffins! But even without puffins, the views were incredible. It was a perfect way to end my visit to Shetland.

Cont.

Food: Food was not a theme. I had breakfast things in my apartment and ate a few times at restaurants. I figure there WERE very nice places, but I wasn’t willing to commit by making reservations. I ate at Frankie’s Fish and Chips, The Dowry, Magno, the Scalloway Hotel - and from the grocery store.

You have to have a few misses and mine was the Shetland Pony Experience. I love horses and made this reservation before leaving home (remember I was gone several weeks before getting to Shetland). The drive would have taken me to another area I didn’t get to. In my desire to tie up loose ends, I paid ahead of time via Wise (they don’t take credit cards). It was my last full day (the only day they had open) but they had to cancel for weather. There wasn’t weather where I was, but who knows what they were expecting the following day. While they were happy to refund, they had no easy way to manage it as a small family business. Eventually I got most of my money back via PayPal. I am sure both of us lost a little due to fees. I should have just chosen to pay cash when I arrived.

Other thoughts:
There were many other places I could have gone and hikes I could have taken (if I were a hiker). I had almost 9 full days and I know I could have made do with fewer. But I loved having the flexibility to stay in if it rained (I had 1 day with lots of rain). I do think a car or a tour is pretty essential to get the most from your time. For the most part driving was easy. There is lots of single track but the only place it bothered me was way up north on Unst past the Heritage Center, where we added curves and cliffs. But again, there’s not a lot of traffic. Bolts Car Rental was easy and relaxed.

I don’t think I used any cash except for the Mousa Boat. Cruise ships never impacted me, although I saw the ships.

I relied heavily on information from Pam, who has been here twice.

Scenery is amazing. Shetland just moved up to my favorite part of Scotland. I’ll add Orkney but it may take me a while.

Orkney

Lodging: For my 10 nights in Orkney, I stayed at Eastbank House. This is technically a hostel, but used to be the housing for staff at the former hospital. The old hospital is now a church and the building behind it is now the hostel. Every room is ensuite, so no shared bathrooms. It’s an odd combination of comforts and not comforts. Furniture is mix and match and my bathroom had a bit of an odor (but not all did) - it occurred to me close to the end of my stay that I could have grabbed some bleach downstairs and poured down the shower drain to help. But it was comfortable, extremely affordable, with lots of options for breakfast all free - muesli, oatmeal, fresh fruit, sweetbreads, sliced bread, peanut butter and jams, tea, and gourmet coffee (4 kinds of beans so you could grind them yourself fresh each time). Laundry and a real dryer were free. There were several people staying for a week or two (or more) and with the large communal kitchen and dining room, I had THE best conversations. More people I saw were what I would call mature adults and fewer were young adults. In addition, when I let the host (owner) know when I expected to arrive (by bus), he volunteered to pick me up from the airport, which was a real treat! Three people at the hostel were working on archeological digs: 2 at the Cairns dig on South Ronaldsay and one with the Time Team near the Ness of Brodgar (more on those later).

Meals: I only ate at 4 restaurant meals during my time: all of which were good: Helgi on the waterfront, Archive Coffee for a late lunch/early dinner, Judith Glue for lunch, and Sakura Kitchen for take out (my katsu curry was the real deal). There were several big supermarkets in Kirkwall and I actually ate almost all my dinners from Tesco, with the occasional sandwich for lunch and then free breakfasts.

Car: I opted not to rent a car for my entire time, after looking at when I actually needed it. Busses were more useful on Orkney than they seemed to be on Shetland. I ended up renting for 4 days of my 9 day stay. Orkney Car Hire was great to work with. Originally I sent a request through to Tulloch’s and received a message that my request was pending. It stayed pending for 5 months (in fact it was still pending during my stay) - I emailed twice and never received a reply. (I just looked and it is finally “cancelled”.) After the second email, I was unwilling to risk not having a car, so I contacted Orkney Car Hire , who replied immediately. I had requested a manual, but at pick up I asked about switching to an automatic and they were able to easily make the switch on the spot. I asked about normal availability and the guy told me that these days most rentals they have ARE automatic - they see more demand for them. I thought that was interesting.

Day Tours (or what not to believe it when the guide says it’s only a “peetie walk”):

Rousay with Martin Douglas https://www.rousaytours.co.uk/: I took the bus from the Kirkwall Travel Center (bus station) to the Tingwall ferry, then the ferry to Rousay, where Martin met us. We circled the island, with several stops, but the crowning glory was Midhowe Cairn & Chambered Tomb and Midhowe Broch. There is a cover built over the cairn to protect it, unlike a few other sites on Orkney. There were 4 of us on the tour and we saw maybe 5 other people, which is astounding for such an ancient place. There’s a steep path to get down from the road and an even steeper path coming back up (lol - ok, it only felt that way). Although I had brought my own hiking poles, Martin provided them for everyone and they were really useful.

We also stopped at Taversoe Tuick Chambered Cairn - a small tomb, but you can go inside and also climb down a somewhat random-seeming ladder down into the chambers. We all fit into the upper part, but only 2 at a time fit easily in the lower part. This was such a memorable stop. We ran out of time for Blackhammer Chambered Cairn, which you can also go inside.

I had looked at the ferry Tingwall to Rousay and decided I neither wanted to back a car onto the ferry nor drive the island. So this tour was a great alternative for me. And even though Martin is not a native of Rousay, he has an amazing amount of knowledge of the history, the geography, and the geology of the island.

Hoy: the following day, I booked a tour of Hoy (through Viator) with https://www.orkneytravel.com/. They picked us up in a small van (and it was full) at the Travel Center, where we drove to the ferry (Houton, I think) and then around the island. There was so much to see. The Dwarfie Stone, a Neolithic tomb carved into a giant block of sandstone, is out in a valley all by itself - just a “peetie walk” away. And yes, you can crawl inside. Rackwick Beach for lunch on the rocks is stunning. And we drove across The Ayre to what I have figured out is the Hill of White Hamars Nature Preserve for a REALLY peetie walk to Cantick Head. Stunning stunning scenery, the elusive Scottish primrose, and a sea stack. We ended with a quick visit to the Scapa Flow Museum, which deserves more time than we had.

Again, a tour is a compromise. This was a good one for me as a solo traveler, but in a perfect world I could have wished for better communication about what we were about to do and more information on the description about where we’d be going.

And if you are wondering, peetie means little. Someone said it’s peedie on Shetland and peetie on Orkney. (Edit: or is it peedie and peerie?)

So much Neolithic:

Skara Brae: yes, you need a timed entry well ahead of time. I opted to take the bus, which worked well. However I did this on a cruise ship day and arrived at the Travel Center as a couple of cruise ship busses also arrived. That made the line a bit chaotic (I was not impressed with the etiquette). However it all worked fine. I took the X1 there and the 8S back, which gave me different scenery.

Standing Stones of Stenness, Ring of Brodgar, Ness of Brodgar: these are all in close proximity and I had no trouble parking. With a car, you could see Skara Brae on the same day, but I opted not to, because I included a couple of other stops this day. All are free. At the Ring of Brodgar, as I was circling the stones and stopped to look more closely at one, a tiny Orkney vole came out almost at my feet to nibble some lunch and pose.

Excavations at the Ness have been covered up. After a number of years, at the end of funding, all the dirt has been filled in and grass is now growing over the top. But The Time Team was doing some beginning work on what turned out to be an Iron Age village beside the Ness. They started work while I was there - not much to see, but visitors are welcome.

Neolithic cont.

Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn: not far away from the above sites. This is another small chambered cairn you can enter. I parked in the small lot and still had an uphill walk to the tomb, a clamber over a fence, and then a very short, very steep walk to the entrance. I put on my waterproof pants and crawled inside (yes, the entrance is too low to crouch and walk). When it was excavated, it had both human and numerous canine remains. I had a small headlamp but it did nothing for the dark inside (my cell phone flashlight was better). Although I met a father and small son in the parking lot when I arrived, I was the only person there. That alone is kind of mind blowing.

Maeshowe: Another Neolithic building (tomb or not?), it is yet again different. The giant slabs on each side and pillars on the corners make it impressive. You have to crouch to enter but inside it easily held 20 of us. It is estimated to have been built around 5,000 years ago, but sealed up after several hundred years of use. It was again used by Vikings about 2,000 years ago and on the walls are the largest number of runes outside Scandinavia (a story goes they were snowed in, but who knows for sure). Think middle school graffiti such as “Thor was here”.

Reservation is required and they seem to go fast. You meet at the Maeshowe Visitor’s Center and ride a van down the road to a parking lot across from the Cairn. Then it’s a peerie walk to the entrance and a stooping walk of a couple of yards to get inside. No photos allowed.

Elsewhere: One day I drove to the far end of South Ronaldsay, where I visited the Cairns excavation site. Digging and research has been going on for 20 years and I was there for the last week of work before everything was to be carefully covered back up to preserve it. Next summer there won’t be anything to see. With almost no signage, I made my last turn and found myself looking at dirt road with a steep downhill followed by a steep uphill. At that point I was committed - and fortunately it was dry enough that I didn’t get stuck. This was the dig where 2 people from my hostel were volunteering and it was so cool to see the work. I then continued on to St. Mary’s Church at the far end of the island. I did choose to skip The Tomb of the Eagles, but sometimes wish I hadn’t.

The Churchill Barriers were an interesting historical spot. And the Italian Chapel was well worth the time and £5. It was built by Italian prisoners of war to have a place of worship and is really a small gem. When I walked inside, it took me a while to realize that most of the details are simply paint - not tile or wooden arches. Nearby is the Orkney Rum Distillery, but I didn’t stop. Also the only Highland cows I saw anywhere were by the Chapel.

And in Kirkwall, St Magnus Cathedral is stunning. The Bishop’s and Earl’s Palaces are across from each other and on one inexpensive ticket. I loved how you can walk all through all levels of the Earl’s Palace. The Orkney Museum is also worthy of a stop, just down the street.

I also, just for fun, took the ferry to Westray and back, more to be out on a boat than for any sightseeing. I wish I’d had time to stay there.

Misses: I’d have loved to stay on Westray and take a tour with Westraack Tours. I also had a boat trip scheduled with Orkney Nautical Charters out of Stromness, but they didn’t have enough to make the trip, so cancelled. (That’s why I ended up just riding the ferry to Westray.)

Cont.

Summary: Shetland and Orkney were as amazing as I expected. You could very easily spend twice the time I did - I just saw the first tier attractions. And to be so close to each other, they really ARE different. After Shetland, Orkney felt more affected by the cruise ships and also is more agricultural. Shetland felt more nature-y, with stunning scenery. I met quite a few “tourists” from England on Orkney who had not yet been to Shetland. Busses on Orkney will get you further than Shetland. Roads on both are in good condition. Final summary - I’d go back in a heartbeat.

Dublin: This was merely a way to get home, made fun. I needed a flight to get me back to Texas, I preferred to use miles, and I planned to fly from Orkney, as opposed to using a ferry. I thought my choices would be Edinburgh or London, but didn’t like their miles flights. Then I saw that I could fly from Kirkwall to Dublin (with a transfer in Aberdeen) for the same price as other places. And I found a good deal on a miles flight from there to home. But I was concerned about potential cancellations from Kirkwall, so I booked 2 nights in Dublin as a safety precaution.

I had a very early morning flight leaving Kirkwall and scheduled Craigie’s Taxis (recommended by Pam) via email for a 6:15 pick up and he was right on time. My flight was at 7:30 and I originally asked for 6:00 - but they informed me the airport didn’t open till 6:30. So 6:15 was our compromise. Ha! (I think it did open before 6:30, but I had plenty of time.)

I arrived in Dublin and took the bus (tap to pay ticket from driver) to Avoca House Bed and Breakfast located near Glasnevin Cemetery and an easy 10 min walk from the bus stop. This was an area I had never been to in Dublin and it had a very nice residential feel to it.

The following morning, I had an 11:30 tour booked at the cemetery. It was a walk through history following the graves of the famous people buried there. At breakfast, I met a woman from Switzerland on her last day and since she had no plans, I invited her along for my day. It was just the best day. After the tour, we stopped at the cemetery cafe for cake and coffee. Then we walked to the Botanic Gardens, which shared a boundary. In the late afternoon, we had lunch/dinner at the Gravedigger’s Pub. Then back to the BnB for her to pick up her bags and head to an airport hotel and for me to get ready to fly home the next day. In the funny way things work, she lives a 10 minute train ride from my daughter and we had so many things in common, so we’ll meet up when I am back there in May.

With a 12:30 flight, I had time for the serve yourself breakfast before walking down to catch the bus back to the airport.

I love it so far! I need to run to the grocery but will be back to go back over the details. Thanks so much for writing this! And Noss sounds wonderful! I will definitely be checking that out.

Season 11 of Shetland finished filming the day before I arrived...

Eleven?!  Yikes. I think I got through Season 8 (maybe) when the series was available to stream on Amazon.
I thought they had pulled the plug then. Uh-oh...

In any useage I've ever heard it's peedie on Orkney and peerie in Shetland for small.

Peetie is a new one on me, but who knows. Maybe it was the accent and to be truthful on Shetland peedie and peerie seem to be a bit interchangeable. I'd be more inclined to use peedie in Lerwick, but peerie in more rural areas.

David, I am way back on Series 3, I think….. 🙈

Stuart, I bet you are right and I just misheard! And truthfully, only one guide told us there was a difference between the two places. And who knows, maybe he was teasing us….

So glad you are taking the time to write this TTM! It’s on our list, but not a lot of TR’s about it. Hope to get there someday soon. Thanks!

Oh, I'm so glad you wrote this! It's taken me two days to make my way through the whole thing, but I'm trying to let it all soak in. Great information, TTM! I love that you went to Stonehaven. I drove through there back in 2023 when I was heading back to Edinburgh and thought briefly about stopping at Dunnottar Castle, but the idea of the 200+ steps was just too overwhelming at that time. I decided to put it on hold.

All of your lodgings sound really nice. I'm checking into a few as I still have a few nights left to fill. That's good to know about not needing a car for the whole time period. Once I get everything booked, I will sit down and play around with that concept. It would be nice not to have to pay for many, many days of rental fees. I also appreciate all the tour information. I feel like you do with about tours normally, but sometimes they come in very handy.

I love the description of the Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn. Note to self: Add headlamp to packing list! And Maeshowe sounds fascinating, even if I have to stoop. 😊 I am sorry that your boat trip with Orkney Nautical Charters got canceled. I have that on my list from Cat's mention of it on my Scotland thread, and hope that I will be able to take it.

And I know I've mentioned this to you, but a note to David as well: finish the Shetland series. It's really one of the best things I've watched on TV. Well, maybe not one of the best, but it ranks pretty high up there. Slow Horses is a bit higher. It's worth watching just for the scenery and the new cast is really good. As I also mentioned, Ann Cleeves' new book, The Killing Stones, takes place on Westray, which is a one reason I'm going there.

Anyway, thanks again for a great report! Now I will just wait for the final portion!

finish the Shetland series...

I though I had finished it - actually, I'm pretty sure I had finished all the episodes that were available at the time (probably about 2 years ago). Will have to check my usual sources and see if there are additional "seasons" available to me now.

Slow Horses is a bit higher. It's worth watching just for the scenery and the new cast is really good...

We enjoyed Slow Horses of course. Is there a new season of that one, too? (Like I need more screen time...dammit, I have trips to plan!)

Thank you, TTM; this was fun to read! We were there three years ago and absolutely loved all the islands we went to. Each one has something to make you fall in love.

Sounds like fun

We enjoyed Slow Horses of course. Is there a new season of that one, too?

Yep, the new season releases on Sept. 16, David.

TTM, I love the finish! And I love your encounters! That is honestly my favorite part, well, maybe not my favorite, but top three of things that I love about travel: meeting other people, finding out how much you have in common, and getting to know them. I'm glad your trip ended up on such a high note! Thanks for a wonderful trip report!

Tammy, it does need to be on your long list!

Mardee, note to self: you have to really want to get up the hill to Cuween. Ha! I blame Pam! And yes, I love meeting people. This trip was full of that. I know you will have an amazing trip next year!

David, I’m way further behind than you. Maybe I need to watch more tv instead of planning more trips!

Carroll, you are so right. Before I went I felt like I had a good amount of time, but now I know I could easily go back and stay longer and see more.

Mr. É, I loved it but you might go crazy after a few days. But I bet there is some good fishing somewhere…..

TTM, thanks for sharing your trip report. Vera sounds like a real gem. You probably couldn't have learned as much in a week in Stonehaven as your brief time with Vera.

Thanks for the Shetland tips. I can see how the weather could really impact a short stay. Good to know that a car isn't always required in that Orkneys. Thanks for sharing your day tour experience, both on your own and with a tour company.

Thanks, jeanm. You are absolutely right about Vera. Not only was she kind, but I love having a perspective on the pros and cons of living in a particular place, as opposed to just visiting: schools, grocery stores, bus passes, activities for families and young people. Weather - should absolutely be a concern. I can’t imagine having only a few days to try to see the wealth of places that exist in both areas.

Ha! I blame Pam!

You should! That's my motto—when in doubt, blame Pam! 😂 😂 😂

Thanks so much for a brilliant, detailed trip report! And for re-posting it. And perhaps you lucked out on the weather? I knew a bit about Orkney & Shetland from Pam, (who seems to delight in crawling around ancient cairns in the rain!)

Does Vera want more friends?!? I hope you had a chance to check back in with her, I love love love these sorts of connections! (This is why I don’t like to hurry from landmark to landmark, you miss the Veras of the world. And what a lovely connection with the Swiss woman to have made, and to share your day with her.)

Just out of curiosity, with the exception of joining us on a Zoom International RS call, LOL, what did you do most evenings? (I hope you brought comfy evening Pj’s!). I'm also wondering how the heck you packed for Northern Greece & Northern Scotland, and of course, did you take rain pants?

It’s good to remember both Shetland and Orkney have more Norse culture and heritage than Scottish. Seriously! I’m watching a Youtube video about an old Norwegian language (neither I nor my Swedish H had ever heard of), only spoken there. https://youtu.be/ji1XP9r7v80?si=pK1qiQyyWtuRDUet

“Food was not a theme’ LOL, yeah no need to bother when there’s so much to do and see. This was a delight to read, I've downloaded it to my iPad for the next time I have a longer flight, so much to absorb. And seriously, there’s never such thing as too much detail, thanks again!!

Aw, thank you, Sandancisco! That is so nice of you. :)

No, no contact info for Vera. So she will remain a wonderful memory. Usually I don’t ask unless there’s a longer time frame. I WILL stay in touch with the lovely Clare from northern Scotland, whom I really got to know in Orkney, as well as the woman from Switzerland and the American couple who have moved to Oviedo where I will be in November.

Speaking of encounters, though, you just never know. I met a wonderful couple sitting next to them at a concert in Birmingham in 2022 and we exchanged numbers so I could send her some photos from the concert. She checked on me to be sure I made it back to the states, then once at Christmas. Then out of the blue, she messaged while I was sitting in my living room in Lerwick - after several years. I have met so many lovely people since I started traveling solo.

For evenings? It depends on where I am. This time I tended to start on dinner around 7 and then read or catch up with photos and friends/family. In Lerwick, I went to an evening movie once and an evening pub music session once and those were fun. And attended 2 zoom meetings. In Orkney, I was absolutely beat after my day trips, which didn’t get me back till about 6:00. One evening I rode the ferry just for fun and laundry one night. But I didn’t do a lot of evening stuff. That might change drastically when I am in a city, where I look for music and other performances in the evenings.

Oh, my suitcase? It had a serious case of schizophrenia. Half was packed for summer and half for winter. Unlike normal trips, it was completely full before I ever left home.

I had 3 lightweight summer dresses, 3 short sleeved shirts, swimsuit, a lightweight blazer/jacket, 1 t-shirt, 1 pair shorts, 2 pair black pants, 1 pair jeans, 3 long sleeved shirts, a fleece jacket, my packable down coat, raincoat, rain pants, and knit hat. (I really needed my summer hat for Greece, but something had to give.) Then I had jammies, etc., my hiking poles, small binoculars, and a small backpack that wads up, plus normal toiletries and extras like ziplocks & my extension cord. Shoes were the problem. I had Teva sandals (which doubled as water shoes), white leather tennis shoes, and my low-cut Keen hiking shoes. I really couldn’t have easily done without any of them.

Then picture that in Greece, where I bought NOTHING, I was given 2 bottles of wine - one in Kastraki and one in Lemnos (both the night before I was leaving, so no chance to drink it).

In Shetland, one of my children requested Shetland yarn as a Christmas present. Well, no way I was not going to do that. So it was like the magic suitcase that kept absorbing more than it possibly should have been able to do. Ha! That reminds me that when I got to the airport to leave Shetland, I had expanded into the second backpack (I always check my suitcase even though it’s U.S. carryon size) as my “personal item”. And their scanner was broken! So they were hand swabbing every single backpack item. At the counter, the girl told me I should put my ziplock liquids in my checked bag. I looked at her like she was crazy. But somehow they fit.

It was a magical trip - but I sure don’t need to mix my seasons like that again…..And I don’t own a bigger suitcase…..

A RS Traveler could do it with a Lufthansa sized personal item and spandex cargo shorts.

Thanks for clarifying the packing / evening entertainment! I liked the idea of going to a movie, and I LOVED the afternoon I spent in a pub listening to Scottish folk music, THAT would get me back out 'of an evening.'

But I sure don’t need to mix my seasons like that again…..And I don’t own a bigger suitcase….. No, I wouldn't enjoy that schizo packing at all. Thanks for the packing list!

So it was like the magic suitcase that kept absorbing more than it possibly should have been able to do.

What fun! So glad it all worked out!!

Oh, to be a legit traveler, Mr.É. I will try harder next time. 🤣

"note to self: you have to really want to get up the hill to Cuween. Ha! I blame Pam"

Har-de-har-har my friends! Yes to TTM, Mardee and Sandancisco. Yes, I crawled into Cuween but I think it's always muddy in that entrance way. After I got back home I saw something that said there was writing to the left of the front entrance and I did not see that so....guess I have to go back!

The other easier one is Unstan Chambered Cairn that is a "stall cairn". Still have to get on your knees to crawl in and it's smaller but was not muddy the time I went and it is level with the parking lot, hahaha!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unstan_Chambered_Cairn

What a wonderful trip report! I loved everything you did and yea you heard the Storm Petrel chicks! Wowser!

Thanks so much for taking the time to write this up and post. Yes, it makes me want to go back!

@Pam, Oh my. Level with the parking lot is a crazy concept! I had Unstan on my list but after the Dwarfie Stone, Taversoe Tuick, Cuween, and Maeshowe, I felt like I had cairn-crawled sufficiently. Ha! I did want to try Tomb of the Eagles and pull myself in with the rope. But I had also just scared myself getting to the Cairns dig right beforehand…..

Thanks for the trip report. I did many of the Orkney and Stonehaven things back in April. I also stayed at the Belvedere but had perfect weather for Dunnatur, clear but brisk. I took the bus (I think the 7) to arrive a 10 minute road walk along to the Castle, and enjoyed the coastal walk (downhill) back.
@Mardee, there are benches along the staircase at Dunnatur. It is worth the effort.

@Mardee, there are benches along the staircase at Dunnatur. It is worth the effort.

Maria, I don't really need a bench; it's more about how high you have to go up and having to be careful on the stone portion of the steps. If I would have had more time, I might have tried it, but I was anxious to get to Edinburgh so I could return the rental car before they closed and I was running a little low on time at that point.

I did stop at Newburgh Beach along the way, which I recommend, but that was much easier and quicker to access. 😊

I'm so glad i read this, so I can take crawling around inside cairns off my travel list!

I had Unstan on my list but after the Dwarfie Stone, Taversoe Tuick,
Cuween, and Maeshowe, I felt like I had cairn-crawled sufficiently. Ha!

Maria, that was exactly the plan I had for Dunnotar - take the bus, take my lunch, take my time (I might have also taken the bus back, though). But in a cold drizzle without my raincoat, I decided I would probably be back. Actually, it’s yet another large area of Scotland I haven’t spent time in and would like to.

Mardee, you actually make me feel better about my fear of heights since yours is worse! Lol.

Sandancisco, now we aren’t letting you off THAT easily! You need to cairn crawl into at least one or two!